Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 3 Morning Results.
George Russell held the fastest lap time halfway through the third day of running in Barcelona, setting a 1:17.580.
28 Jan 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

George Russell held the fastest lap time… Perhaps even more impressive, however, is the Briton's lap count as he clocked up 92 tours of the circuit.

It was a difficult morning for Nico Hulkenberg and Audi as another mechanical issue forced the German driver to pull over after just four laps. Lando Norris and McLaren made their first appearance of the test week, with the reigning champion sitting in third place.

2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 3 Morning Results
Pos. Driver Team Lap time Laps
1. George Russell Mercedes 1:17.580 92
2. Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.570 56
3. Lando Norris McLaren +2.092 34
4. Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +3.314 61
5. Oliver Bearman Haas +3.260 21
6. Nico Hulkenberg Audi No time 4

‘George Russell fastest’;

https://racingnews365.com/2026-f1-ba...orning-results


Russell delivers standout display as Mercedes turn heads in Barcelona
28 Jan 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

George Russell topped the timesheets during the morning of day three in Barcelona and also completed the highest number of laps. Clearer conditions greeted the start of day three after a rain-soaked morning previously disrupted running, finally allowing teams to head back out on track in dry weather.

After only Red Bull and Ferrari took part yesterday, the field expanded significantly today, with several teams joining the action — most notably McLaren, which made its long-awaited on-track debut with the MCL40, driven by Lando Norris.

The session was not without interruptions, however, as two red flags halted running. Audi suffered another problem when Nico Hulkenberg was forced to stop his RS26 on circuit, while Oliver Bearman also came to a standstill at Turn 2, with the cause of his stoppage still unclear.

‘Standout display’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/russe...s-in-barcelona


Russell sets fastest lap of Barcelona F1 test so far
Jan 28, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Mercedes driver George Russell’s 1m17.580s eclipsed the Monday benchmark by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar by 0.6s as Mercedes began another extremely productive day on-track. After racking up nearly 100 laps in just half a day on Monday, when he took over from team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the morning, Russell is understood to have come close to 100 laps again on Wednesday.

This was achieved through various long runs and was significantly more than anybody else before lunch. Antonelli will be back in the W17 for the second half of Wednesday’s running. Russell’s best time was 1.6s quicker than Franco Colapinto managed in the Mercedes-powered Alpine in the first half of the day.

Laptimes midway through Day 3
1 George Russell (Mercedes) 1m17.580s
2 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) 1m19.150s
3 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m19.672s
4 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 1m20.714s
5 Ollie Bearman (Haas) 1m20.840s
6 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) No time

‘Close to 100 laps again’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...elona-f1-test/


McLaren hit the track as Norris rolls out long-awaited MCL40 in Barcelona
13:59, 28 Jan
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

McLaren MCL40 finally made its official on-track debut on the third day of testing in Barcelona. The reigning world champions had already planned to skip the opening day and were then forced to sit out day two due to rain, with Lando Norris finally getting his first taste of the new car.

The Briton ran throughout the morning, and it remained unclear whether he would hand over to teammate Oscar Piastri later in the day or stay in the car for the full session. The MCL40 is running a special full-black livery for the Barcelona tests, with the final design set to be unveiled at a dedicated launch event on 9 February.

‘McLaren hit the track’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/mclar...0-in-barcelona


Several ‘insiders’ are ‘suspicious’ about what they’ve noticed on Ferrari’s 2026 car at F1 testing
28 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari raises ‘suspicions’ that they have an S-Duct on their 2026 F1 car. A number of paddock ‘insiders’ are understood to be questioning whether Ferrari have tried to incorporate an S-Duct into the design of their first car for the 2026 F1 regulations. F1 has overhauled the regulations, with new engine, aero, chassis and tyre rules coming into force.

Images of the Ferrari SF-26 on track in Barcelona have sparked ‘suspicions’ that their head of aerodynamics Diego Tondi has added a channel to direct clean air from below the radiator inlets to the top of the sidepods. The channel can also extract hot air away from the engine.

The main purpose with the S-Duct is to accelerate the airflow towards the rear diffuser and improve Ferrari’s aerodynamic efficiency. Tondi and his team are said to have achieved their goal by adding a slot in the Halo on the SF-26 to firstly manage the airflow out of the S-Duct.

‘The S-Duct’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sev...at-f1-testing/


Leclerc’s All-New Ferrari SF-26 Has Him Eyeing 2026 Title
28 January 2026
Jack Banneron
F1Chronicle

Charles Leclerc climbed out of Ferrari’s SF-26 sounding like a guy who’s finally been handed a clean sheet of paper. Leclerc is “very excited” for 2026, and he’s openly talking about dragging Ferrari back to the top. After years where Ferrari’s promise has often arrived with an asterisk, this reset feels like the kind you can actually build a title run on, and that’s why everyone’s leaning in.

Ferrari skipped Day 1 of the five-day Barcelona event and rolled out on Day 2, right on schedule, with Leclerc first to hit the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. If you’ve ever shown up late to something stressful to avoid the opening chaos, you get the vibe, and Ferrari essentially admitted as much by choosing their moment. Leclerc described getting back in the car as returning to something “very, very all-new,” and he wasn’t doing PR poetry.

2026 brings a double reset, new chassis philosophy and new power unit rules, so even the basic instincts drivers rely on, braking references, corner commitment, energy deployment habits, get a hard reboot. He also pointed out the conditions were messy, with rain in the morning, which makes those first laps feel like trying new shoes on an ice rink. Still, Ferrari ran their programme anyway, because this stage is about whether the thing works, not whether it’s fast, and anyone who’s watched a new-spec car cough through its first week knows how valuable that sentence is.

‘Eyeing 2026 Title’;

https://f1chronicle.com/leclercs-all.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

F1 results: Unofficial testing times from Day 3 (Barcelona).
Mercedes, Haas, Audi, Racing Bulls, and Alpine all took part on Wednesday, with short red flag stoppages brought about due to technical issues for Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg – its second red flag of the Barcelona test – and Haas’ Oliver Bearman.
28 Jan 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

The day ended with the W17 on top as Kimi Antonelli logged an unofficial 1:17.362 to finish just over two-tenths of a second clear of George Russell, with the Italian taking over for the afternoon session as Mercedes split its drivers’ time. In total, Mercedes completed 183 laps on Wednesday, accumulating just over 850km of track time, bringing it to a total of 334 laps for the week.

Behind Mercedes, Lando Norris’ first appearance in F1 2026 saw the new world champion resplendent in an all-black MCL40 adorned with a payaya number one on the new machine, and he duly set about accumulating a little over a race distance over the course of the day. Alpine also split its running between Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, with the Argentine driver finishing fourth on the timing sheets with 58 laps complete, and Pierre Gasly managing 67 laps in the new A526.

With no official live timing available to media and journalists, times and lap counts have been collated and vetted across multiple sources; however, these times are completely unofficial.
Testing results from Day 3 (Barcelona)
1. 1. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:17.362 91 Laps
2. 2. George Russell Mercedes +0.218 92 laps
3. 3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.945 76 laps
4. 4. Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.788 58 Laps
5. 5. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.835 67 Laps
6. 6. Oliver Bearman Haas +1.948 42 Laps
7. 7. Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +2.058 120 Laps
8. 8. Nico Hulkenberg Audi +3.648 68 Laps

‘Unofficial testing times’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...arcelona-day-3


DEBRIEF: What happened on Day 3 of the Barcelona Shakedown?
28 Jan 2026
Formula One - Official Site

It was a busy start when Wednesday’s morning session began, with George Russell the first to head out in the Mercedes – returning to action following his running on Monday – while Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindbald was next, the rookie getting his debut mileage of the Barcelona Shakedown. Franco Colapinto joined the fray for Alpine, along with Ollie Bearman in the Haas and Nico Hulkenberg at the wheel of the Audi, the latter two drivers also making their first appearance at the event.

McLaren, meanwhile, initially spent time carrying out their final preparations in the garage before new World Champion Lando Norris emerged in the middle of the morning, sporting the #1 on his car. After plenty of laps went on the board in the opening portion of the day – with Russell, Lindblad and Colapinto getting some particularly extensive mileage in – the action continued following a lunch break. Kimi Antonelli took over at the Silver Arrows, while Pierre Gasly gained his first laps of the shakedown for Alpine.

The afternoon session continued to be busy as a number of cars lapped the circuit in increasingly sunny conditions, before darkness fell as the end of the day neared and the chequered flag came down on Day 3. The only team yet to start their programme at the Barcelona Shakedown are Aston Martin, having stated earlier in the week that they intend to run on Thursday and Friday.

‘DEBRIEF’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...qpwxqRdzV9CbZZ


Impressive Mercedes thunder on in Barcelona as Lando Norris shows off new McLaren
28 Jan 2026
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Mercedes maintained its sterling reliability at the start of 2026 F1 pre-season testing as George Russell clocked up the laps on a day when McLaren finally made its first appearance. In terms of reliability, Mercedes again made a particular impression. George Russell had completed 92 laps by 1 pm local time.

After the car completed 154 laps on Monday, between Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli, the Silver Arrows is currently amassing the data on its W17. Russell also ended the morning session with the fastest lap, 1:17.580s, set late on. For some time, Alpine's Franco Colapinto had led the way with a 1:19.150s.

After sitting out the first two days of the five-day private test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, all eyes were naturally on the McLaren garage to see if the MCL40 would make an appearance. Finally, bearing the No.1 on his car, F1 champion Lando Norris took to the track to complete systems checks, clocking 34 laps, seemingly without any issues. The car is expected to run more productively over the final two days.

‘Impressive Mercedes thunder on’;

https://racingnews365.com/impressive...ff-new-mclaren


Norris hails 'decent day' after first laps in new McLaren
28 Jan 2026
The Straits Times

Jan 28 - Formula One champion Lando Norris said he'd enjoyed a "decent day" in his new McLaren after completing 77 laps at the Barcelona shakedown test on Wednesday.

The Briton will hand over the MCL40 to Australian teammate Oscar Piastri for Thursday's session before getting back in on Friday for the team's third and final day at the Circuit de Catalunya. "It was just nice to be back, nice to see a number one on my car, pretty cool and pretty surreal still. It's a good feeling," said the 26-year-old after lapping in cold temperatures at the Spanish Grand Prix track.

"Our first day on track, first time everyone gets to see the car in one piece. It's literally not been built until this morning... nice to see it all come together. And then I go and have some fun driving it which turned out to be a decent day. Today was really just a first understanding of the whole car, understanding just how it works really, going through the manual."

'Decent day';

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...in-new-mclaren


Red Bull extreme design reveals radical 2026 F1 approach
Red Bull did not return to action at Barcelona on Wednesday following Isack Hadjar's crash the day before. This allowed RacingNews365's technical expert, Paolo Filisetti, the opportunity to notice some striking aspects of the RB22.
28 Jan 2026
Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

Red Bull's absence from Wednesday's pre-season test running provided a rare opportunity to scrutinise the RB22's aerodynamic philosophy, highlighting that the Milton Keynes-based squad has again pushed boundaries with its unconventional approach. Two standout features demonstrate just how aggressively Red Bull has interpreted the 2026 regulations. The crash structures flanking the cockpit sit prominently atop the sidepods, with their extremities extending well beyond the bodywork profile.

This radical positioning allows Red Bull to maintain remarkably compact sidepods, maximising airflow towards the car's rear sections where crucial downforce is generated. It's classic Red Bull engineering: finding performance gains where others see regulatory constraints. The second notable element mirrors Mercedes' approach: a pronounced slot carved into the diffuser's lateral section.

This wide aperture in the vertical sidewall directs airflow through a critical aerodynamic zone, suggesting both teams have identified similar performance opportunities. That Red Bull and Mercedes have converged on comparable solutions isn't surprising. Advanced computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel correlation now allow teams to optimise every millimetre of bodywork, often leading to similar conclusions despite different starting philosophies.

‘Pushed boundaries with its unconventional approach’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-e...26-f1-approach


Aston Martin issues notable update on participation in Barcelona test
28 Jan 2026
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Aston Martin is still to confirm whether the team will definitely start testing in Barcelona on Thursday. When asked by GPblog, the Silverstone-based team would only say that it still has the ‘intention’ of making it out on track.

The team missed the first three days of testing for unspecified reasons, but stated on Monday that the plan was to conduct their first runs with the new AMR26 on Thursday and Friday. GPblog understands that plans have not changed, with Sky Sports F1 reporting on Wednesday that the new car still needed to be assembled overnight at the track in Spain.

‘Notable update’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/exclusive-...barcelona-test


Williams boss defends ‘incredibly painful’ F1 shakedown decision
James Vowles insists Williams will be fully prepared for pre-season testing in Bahrain despite making the “incredibly painful” call to miss the private Barcelona shakedown.
29 Jan 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

The Williams team principal confirmed the team’s 2026 car has now passed all mandatory crash tests and will be ready to run when official testing begins on February 11, after opting not to use any of its permitted days in Spain. Speaking during the Barcelona week, Vowles admitted the absence was far from ideal. “[It] clearly wasn’t our plan, and it’s incredibly painful,” he said.

‘Vowles admitted the absence was far from ideal’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-b...debut-new-car/

[Fortitude]

2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 4 morning results.
Mercedes has produced another productive morning of running in Barcelona, with Kimi Antonelli tallying almost 90 laps so far.
29 January 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Kimi Antonelli has also set the fastest lap time of the test with a 1:17.081. Lewis Hamilton was back in action for Ferrari and clocked up almost 90 laps across the opening hours.

He trailed Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, but was ahead of Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez. Just five cars ventured onto the track during the session. Aston Martin is expected to join the action later today with Lance Stroll.

2026 F1 Barcelona Pre-Season Test - Day 4 Morning Results
Pos. Driver Team Lap time Laps
1. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:17.081 90
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.338 48
3. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +1.573 87
4. Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.782 64
5. Sergio Perez Cadillac +4.268 38

‘Day 4 morning results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2026-f1-ba...orning-results


Barcelona Day 4: Mercedes stamps its authority on shakedown as Hamilton spins
29 Jan 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ numbers during the Barcelona shakedown continued to signal a warning to its rivals with Kimi Antonelli not only topping the lap count, but also the timesheet on the morning of Day Four. The Italian clocked an unofficial 1:17.081, the fastest time of the week so far.

While Haas confirmed that it would not run on Thursday, opting to cover its third and final day on Friday after Wednesday’s reliability gremlins, reports emerged claiming Red Bull too would not be on track as the Milton Keynes squad waits for parts for the RB22 after Isack Hadjar crashed on Tuesday. The components are expected to be flown out today, so the team can get them fitted and get back in action on Friday.

Mercedes, meanwhile, was one of the first on track as the team began its final day with a fair amount of extra hard wear in the form of aero rakes on the car. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin revealed that Thursday’s programme would involve working on the set-up of the W17, having racked up better than expected mileage on its first two days.

‘Mercedes stamps its authority’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-sha...-midday-report


Red Bull sitting out Barcelona F1 test until new parts arrive
Red Bull are sitting out of Thursday's F1 test action.
29 Jan 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Red Bull’s F1 test programme has been put on hold while the team waits for spare parts to arrive. It comes after Isack Hadjar’s heavy crash on the second day of Barcelona’s private shakedown left Red Bull with insufficient parts to repair their new RB22 challenger, according to respected Dutch journalist Erik van Haren.

The 21-year-old Frenchman, who was promoted from sister team Racing Bulls to become Max Verstappen’s latest Red Bull teammate, lost control in slippery conditions at the fast final corner and spun backwards into the barriers. Hadjar was unhurt in the shunt but the impact caused substantial damage to the rear of his RB22 and cut-short Red Bull’s second day of running.

On Tuesday evening, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said his side would need to assess the damage before deciding when they can conclude their test programme for the first week of pre-season testing. Red Bull now face a race against time to receive the new parts and fit them to their 2026 car so that they can complete their third permitted test day on the final day of running on Friday.

‘Red Bull’s F1 test programme has been put on hold’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108870...r-isack-hadjar


Barcelona Blackout: Hamilton’s Spin Teases Ferrari’s 2026 Monster
29 Jan 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com

Lewis Hamilton’s second taste of Ferrari’s SF-26 programme in Barcelona came with an early reminder of what 2026 is going to demand from everyone: a moment of over-rotation at the exit of Turn 10, a neat 360, and then straight back on with no obvious damage done.

The clip, which surfaced on social media on the morning of Day 4, showed Hamilton losing the rear as he fed the car out of the right-hander. The car behind had plenty of time to slow as Hamilton gathered it up and trundled on. In the grand scheme of a private shakedown, it’s the sort of incident teams barely bother to log beyond a line on the run sheet — but it’s also a small window into the learning curve this new ruleset is about to impose.

Ferrari, for its part, has had a relatively clean shakedown so far. Day 4 is the team’s second permitted day of running in this five-day Barcelona test, with a third appearance scheduled for the final day. There are limits on how many days teams can run, which only sharpens the focus: every stint is a chance to understand a brand-new car concept and, just as importantly, to decide what not to waste time on.

‘A neat 360’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/barcelon...-2026-monster/


Mercedes’ ominous mileage claim as W17 runs ‘faultlessly’
29 Jan 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ahead of Mercedes’ final day on track at the Barcelona shakedown, Andrew Shovlin admitted the Brackley team covered more laps on its first two days than expected. In fact, it is rivals breaking down and causing red flags that is costing Mercedes most when it comes to lost time time on track.

Asked if Mercedes expected that level of mileage given the all-new cars and power units, the trackside engineering director told the official F1 website: “Mileage, we’re a bit ahead of where we hoped to be. So that’s good. You normally expect to have a few teething problems, the odd reliability thing that costs you track time. Today [Wednesday], the car worked faultlessly. We’re actually losing more track time from other people breaking down and causing red flags than for anything on our side. So that’s good.”

Mercedes’ lap count over the course of its opening two days, unofficially recorded at 333 in total, has given the team the opportunity to gather much-needed data on its all-new W17 and its power unit. “In terms of data gathered,” Shovlin continued, “we’re getting there, but as all the electrical systems are new, there’s still quite a few issues that we’re bottoming out with collecting the data and making sure everything’s as accurate as we normally have it.”

‘Unofficially recorded at 333 in total’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...ns-faultlessly


Mercedes sets new benchmark laptime at F1's Barcelona test
Jan 29, 2026
Jon Noble
The Race

Kimi Antonelli lowered the benchmark for this week’s Formula 1 pre-season test at Barcelona on Thursday while the new Aston Martin hasn't made its on-track debut yet. With the pace and reliability of the new W17 having impressed rivals, Antonelli set a new quickest time of the week with a 1m17.081s as he continued to rack up the miles.

His best time beat the previous fastest lap of the week, set by Antonelli himself on Wednesday, by three tenths of a second. It also means Mercedes has gone faster this week than its best race lap from last year’s Spanish Grand Prix – highlighting that the 2026 cars appear to be a similar ballpark to the previous generation of cars.

‘Benchmark lap time’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/m...arcelona-test/

[Fortitude]

F1 results: Unofficial testing times from Day 4 (Barcelona).
Mercedes claimed another 1-2 on the timing sheets on the fourth day of F1 testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
29 Jan 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Russell lodged the fastest lap of the week so far with a 1:16.445 in the afternoon session, as he circulated 78 times. This was just over six-tenths faster than what Antonelli managed during the morning session as he wrapped up his Barcelona programme with a 1:17.081 to eclipse his Wednesday best by almost three-tenths.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished with the third-quickest time, 1.7 seconds off Russell’s pace as he racked up 83 laps, while Oscar Piastri was fourth in the Mercedes-powered McLaren as the MCL40 encountered a fuel supply issue that compromised the Australian’s day. He did 48 laps, adding to Lando Norris’ 76-lap total from Wednesday.

With no official live timing available to media and journalists, times and lap counts have been collated and vetted across multiple sources; however, these times are completely unofficial.
Testing results from Day 4 (Barcelona)
1. 1. George Russell Mercedes 1:16.445 (78 Laps)
2. 2. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.636 (90 Laps)
3. 3. ⁠Charles Leclerc Ferrari +1.778 (83 laps)
4. 4. ⁠Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.974 (48 Laps)
5. 5. ⁠Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +2.006 (47 Laps)
6. 6. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari⁠ +2.209 (87 Laps)
7. 7. ⁠Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +2.395 (64 Laps)
8. 8. Sergio Perez Cadillac ⁠+4.579 (66 Laps)
9. 9. ⁠Lance Stroll Aston Martin +29.959 (5 Laps)

‘Unofficial testing times’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...arcelona-day-4


Best times and total mileage for every F1 team and driver at Barcelona
Jan 29, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Mercedes’ prolific running means it has concluded its Formula 1 testing at Barcelona already having completed considerably more mileage than any other team. The next-busiest team, Racing Bulls, ran the same schedule and has also ended its test with 319 laps completed. But Ferrari is likely to have the second most productive test after Mercedes as its two days of testing, having only started on Tuesday, have already yielded 297 laps.

Laps completed by team
Team Laps Km
Mercedes 500 2,328.50
Racing Bulls 319 1,485.58
Ferrari 297 1,383.13
Haas 196 912.77
Red Bull 185 861.55
Alpine 185 861.55
McLaren 121 563.50
Cadillac 110 512.27
Audi 95 442.42
Aston Martin 4 18.63

Laps completed by engine manufacturer
Laps Kilometres
Mercedes 806 3,753.54
Ferrari 603 2,808.17
RBPT 504 2,347.13
Audi 95 442.42
Honda 4 18.63

‘Best times and total mileage’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/b...-at-barcelona/


Five winners and six losers from secret F1 testing sessions
A week of running in Barcelona was conducted behind closed doors - with one team failing to travel out there at all
30 January 2026
James Gray
i News

Losers: Williams team principal James Vowles tried to put a brave face on the fact that his crew didn’t run on any days at all in Barcelona. But the British team are the biggest losers of this week for their inability even to rock up in Spain amid reports of the car being overweight and having failed pre-season crash tests, which Vowles denied.

Williams are not the only ones hoping to climb to the top; Aston Martin declared that intent with the signing of Adrian Newey as their new technical guru and then team principal. But the AMR26 only made a first appearance in the last hour of the penultimate day and initially looked good before the car came to a halt in the hands of Lance Stroll and the session was red flagged.

Grid newcomers Cadillac ended day one a whopping six-and-a-half seconds off the pace with Sergio Perez admitting there were “a lot of issues”. But team boss Graeme Lowdon declared it more a shakedown than a proper test for the sport’s rookies.

‘Five winners and six losers’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...00?ITO=newsnow


How Oscar Piastri’s first lap times in McLaren’s 2026 F1 car compares with Lando Norris
29 Jan 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

Oscar Piastri was just three-tenths short of Lando Norris after his first day of testing McLaren’s 2026 F1 car. Oscar Piastri’s fastest time of his first run out in the McLaren MCL40 was a 1:18.419, just over two tenths slower than Norris’ personal benchmark of a 1:18.189 on the day prior, according to SoyMotor.

Oscar Piastri’s afternoon session was scuppered by a fuel systems issue on day four. Following the conclusion of the allotted testing times, McLaren revealed that they had been suffering from a fuel system issue, which explained Piastri’s absence in the afternoon. Of course, it’s not desirable, but finding an issue like this is also one of the many reasons why testing is so crucial to each team.

In a press release provided by the Woking-based outfit, they said that the issue ‘required extensive investigation’, and assured that their team of engineers are now hard at work to ensure a full day of running on Friday. They also detailed that both Norris and Piastri will share the driving duties for the final day of testing, while noting that they have found some ‘performance opportunities to exploit’ upon their return to HQ next week.

‘Oscar Piastri: 1:18.419’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how...-lando-norris/


False start for Cadillac: Perez sees 'more problems than surprises'
29 Jan 2026
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Cadillac are ironing-out their “problems” with their new F1 car according to Sergio Perez as F1’s newest team faces a number of challenges during preseason testing in Spain. After the day of testing in Barcelona, Perez was asked whether he encountered many surprises with the new car. “More than surprises, problems,” said the former Red Bull Racing driver. “Problems on all kinds of fronts; with the engine, with the car, with a few electronic issues.”

“But I’m glad it’s happening now, and of course we still have a lot of work ahead of us, especially as a new team. So yes, these are exciting times.” Perez continued: “We were able to do a lot of running and gathered a lot of data. But I think we’re making progress in virtually every lap. So yes, it was a positive day. Hopefully we’ll have another positive day tomorrow with Valtteri [Bottas].”

After a year away, Perez already feels quite at home back in the sport. “A little bit, yes, but in a way it still felt a bit strange to come back and see some people, some drivers, again. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, so yes, I’m happy to be back.”

'More problems than surprises';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/false...than-surprises


Bearman praises Ferrari power unit despite small issue during testing
29 Jan
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com

During Haas’s second day of preseason testing, Oliver Bearman praised Ferrari’s ‘impressive’ power unit - despite being hamstrung by a red flag. Speaking to F1.com, Bearman revealed he had a first taste of the new power unit in Italy and said,

“First of all, really happy to be back on track. It was a short winter break, but, in typical racing driver form, after a few days, I was ready to feel some speed again. Fiorano was a good warm-up. It was wet all day, but we got through the plan that we had allocated, and now coming here doing a bit more laps in the dry as well, it's really nice to feel the car underneath me.”

Wednesday was Haas’s second day running after Esteban Ocon completed 151 laps on Monday. Bearman said that the run plan was also what he intended to do. He added, “A lot of mileage is the plan. It's very early stages in this cycle of regulations, and we've had, so far up until now, very clean laps and very clean running. It was impressive to come from Fiorano, straight away do our 200km limit, and arrive and be out at 9 am two days later.”

‘Bearman praises Ferrari power unit’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/bearm...during-testing


Aston Martin enciende Barcelona con el estreno del AMR26 y Mercedes sigue a lo suyo
29 Ene 2026
SoyMotor.

https://soymotor.com/f1/noticias/cro...celona-f1-2026

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin 'emotional' over F1 2026 debut after Barcelona delay.
“Each time when you have a new car, it's always emotional. It's a very, very, very exciting moment. A lot of hard work went into it over the last days.” Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack.
30 Jan 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Aston Martin gave its 2026 car its first on-track experience at the Barcelona shakedown on Thursday. Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack has labelled the team's on-track debut as “emotional”.

“There's still a lot of work to come, but I think we can take a breath and be happy that we rolled out the car. It was really emotional and a nice moment for the team and a tribute to the hard work that everybody put in.” The AMR26 managed just four laps before it stuttered to a halt on the track, equipped with the new Honda power unit.

Aston Martin now has one final day of running to get through in Barcelona before it heads to Bahrain for the second test. “F1 is relentless,” Krack added. “You always have to look forward, and there will be much more hard work to come, but we're looking forward to that.”

“F1 is relentless”;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-mart...arcelona-delay


Martin Brundle suspects Adrian Newey may have been responsible for Aston Martin car delays
30 Jan 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Adrian Newey pushes development ‘to the absolute limit’. Reports last week suggested that Aston Martin engine suppliers Honda weren’t completely ready for the new season. Newey confirmed to Martin Brundle that they were ‘playing catch-up’. But Brundle also suspects that Newey has been pushing back deadlines to maximise development time. He has apparently been notorious for waiting until ‘the last moment’ to sign off parts.

Martin Brundle: “Adrian was saying to me that Honda are having to play catch-up because they were leaving and then they came back in. There’s some question marks there. You just know that Adrian will have a vision of how to maximise these new regulations. Let’s hope he’s done it. Let’s hope that car just flies.”

“He’s also legendary for not wanting to sign things off! When the car was late, it didn’t surprise me at all to be honest, because the long lead times, chassis, gearboxes, radiators and the sort of thing, Adrian will push that, and he always has done, to the absolute limit, because he wants the maximum amount of development on those pieces. If it absolutely takes off, then as ever, you can say, he got it absolutely right. He’s waited until the last moment before having to commit. I’m going to assume that that car will be pretty handy through the year.”

“To the absolute limit”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...in-car-delays/


Newey’s Aston Gamble: Radical Pushrods, Red Flagged Debut
30 Jan 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com

Aston Martin’s first proper glimpse of the Adrian Newey era arrived in Barcelona with equal parts intrigue and aggravation: a car that looks like it’s been drawn with a different ruler to much of the pitlane, and a shakedown debut that ended with the sort of precautionary stoppage you can live without when you’re already short on mileage. Lance Stroll finally rolled the AMR26 out in the final hour of Thursday’s running, the car wearing an all-black test livery ahead of its scheduled official launch on February 9. It didn’t run for long. Trackside marshals signalled for Stroll to pull over after spotting what was described as a potential electrical issue, triggering a late red flag and cutting short the first public outing of the team’s 2026 challenger.

Aston Martin is expected back on track on Friday, but the bigger picture is already awkward: the team’s Barcelona plan amounts to only two of its permitted three days, having missed the start of the test. That’s not a crisis in itself, but it does strip away the comfort blanket teams like to have in the first week of a new regulation cycle. When everything is new — cars, tyres, aero philosophies, operating windows — you want boring laps, not unresolved question marks. Still, within minutes of the AMR26 turning a wheel, the technical spotters had their reward. The car is running pushrod suspension at both ends — and not just pushrod, but the double-pushrod layout that’s quickly shaping up as the default answer to the first big mechanical choice of 2026.

The irony is that the moment the AMR26 finally appeared, the storyline shifted from “what did Newey decide?” to “how quickly can they get through their programme?” The stoppage may yet prove to be nothing more than a sensible early shut-down, the kind teams prefer to do rather than risk turning a minor gremlin into a headline.

‘Newey’s Aston Gamble’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/neweys-a...flagged-debut/


Newey's 'extreme' Aston Martin - Gary Anderson's first reaction
29 Jan 2026
Gary Anderson
The Race

Having just seen the first images of the 2026 Aston Martin, there’s no question it’s an Adrian Newey Formula 1 car! Even without seeing the detail, you can tell it’s extreme, aggressive and all of those other words you can use for a car that pushes to extremes. Concept-wise, it looks like it’s on the limit. The front and rear suspension appears to be pushrod, and the front top wishbone is very high and has a very wide base for its inboard pick-up points.

You could also say it has a ‘zero’ sidepod concept, and then some. That’s not so much in terms of width, but in terms of depth, it’s so slim I’m even surprised there is room for a radiator in there. The intake is high and letterbox shaped and the exit is fairly well forward in the engine cover sides and I would say ‘brutal’. However, some of that is because the engine cover behind that opening is undercut to the extreme.

There is also a larger-than-most undercut between the bottom of that intake and the top of the driver’s headrest. I suppose that could be the reason for the ‘horns’, but it’s difficult to see how big those horns and fins are. It does look like it might be ‘different’, to say the least, and that’s from front to rear. But then again what else would you expect from the ‘pencil’ of Adrian Newey? The first sight of the car has whetted everyone’s appetite and I’m looking forward to going over the detail when we see it.

‘An Adrian Newey Formula 1 car!’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...-aston-martin/


Aston Martin Unveils Adrian Newey–Designed AMR26 in Late Pre-Season Test Debut
30 Jan 2026
James Rees
F1 Chronicle

The car only arrived in Spain on Wednesday, with the team spending much of the day completing final preparations before running. “It was a long day for all the mechanics and everyone in the team pushing flat out to get the car ready,” Stroll said. “We managed to get a few laps in at the end, and it felt good. Now it’s about learning the car and understanding where its strengths and weaknesses are.”

“Everyone in the team pushing flat out to get the car ready”;

https://f1chronicle.com/aston-martin.../?nowprocket=1


Key Adrian Newey design decision emerges as Aston Martin AMR26 hits track
30 Jan 2026
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

PlanetF1.com technical editor Matt Somerfield has confirmed that the design – strikingly different to most other 2026 cars in areas like the nose, sidepods and engine cover – includes a pushrod suspension at the front and rear of the car.

A double-pushrod suspension has emerged as the early tech trend of the F1 2026 season with all but two teams taking this development route so far. Only Alpine and Cadillac have opted for a pullrod suspension to date, with Williams the only team yet to take to the track in 2026.

‘The design – strikingly different to most other 2026 cars’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...design-details


Revealed! Adrian Newey's first F1 car for Aston Martin
29 Jan 2026
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

It took a few days later than perhaps planned, but on the fourth day of testing, Aston Martin introduced the AMR26 — the first car Adrian Newey has designed for the British team. Here are the first images.

‘On the fourth day of testing’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/revea...r-aston-martin


Aston Martin’s AMR26 Debut: Five Laps, A Thousand Questions
29 Jan 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com

Lance Stroll managed just five laps before pulling over in the third sector, bringing the team’s long-awaited 2026 debut to an early stop. From the outside it looked like a textbook first-day breakdown, but the word in the paddock was that this was a precautionary halt rather than anything catastrophically letting go.

The context matters. Aston Martin arrived at this shakedown week having already admitted it would be late to the party, with Adrian Newey pushing development right up to the deadline. Barcelona became the first time the chassis and power unit had actually been bolted together and run as a complete package. That sort of late integration can be survivable if everything talks to everything first time. If it doesn’t, you stop early, you don’t take risks, and you take your data home.

‘A Thousand Questions’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/aston-ma...and-questions/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc tops times, but Newey’s Aston steals the show.
Leclerc might have ended the morning quickest, but the first proper public glimpse of Fernando Alonso in Aston Martin’s AMR26 — the latest Adrian Newey design — was the moment that actually made people look up from the timing app.
January 30, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com

And then there was Aston Martin. Aston didn’t rush into the session; Alonso waited a few minutes longer than most before heading out within the opening 20. What followed was very clearly not a “go set a time” plan. Alonso’s early work was almost entirely installation laps, with unconfirmed reports suggesting Aston Martin was enforcing a speed limit in the 230–275 km/h range while it tested systems and ran through checks on its new Honda power unit. That sort of programme is hardly glamorous, but it’s the kind of foundation-laying that can save a team later when the mileage really starts to matter.

Once Aston did begin to open the taps, Alonso’s times tumbled quickly — albeit from a long way back and still well off the front-running pace. He improved to 1:21.728, then 1:20.795 on soft Pirellis, ending seventh with 49 laps. No-one in the paddock will treat that as a performance headline. The more interesting takeaway is simply that the AMR26 is now a living thing on track, not a studio render or a whispered rumour, and that Alonso is already leaning into it.

Unofficial or not, the timing screen at lunch read:
Leclerc 1:16.653 (79 laps)
Piastri 1:17.446 (79 laps)
Verstappen 1:18.285 (69 laps)
Bearman 1:18.423 (105 laps)
Gasly 1:19.754 (78 laps)
Bortoleto 1:20.179 (64 laps)
Alonso 1:20.795 (49 laps)
Bottas 1:22.790 (33 laps)
Plenty will change once the real testing — and then the real racing — begins. But on a morning when Ferrari needed a cleaner narrative and Aston needed its first proper footprint, both got something they can build on.

‘And then there was Aston Martin’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/leclerc-...eals-the-show/


Leclerc makes the Ferrari power unit roar to top morning session on Friday
30 Jan 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc set the pace on Friday morning of the final day of the 2026 Barcelona pre-season test. A total of eight teams are on track today at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Williams is not present, while Mercedes and Racing Bulls have already completed the maximum three permitted days on track. Leclerc was reportedly the fastest, setting an unofficial lap time of 1:16.653. The Ferrari driver completed 79 laps.

Max Verstappen could also return to action. GPblog understands that the team could not be on track yesterday as additional parts also had to be flown in from Milton Keynes. The RB22 is now ready for Verstappen, who reportedly clocked the third fastest time this morning.

‘Ferrari power unit roar to top’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...sion-on-friday


Lando Norris gives ominous six-word verdict after first 2026 F1 test
World champion Lando Norris has driven the new McLaren MCL40 for the first time at Barcelona testing
30 Jan 2026
Harry Smith and Daniel Clark
Somerset Live

Lando Norris expressed that 'it still feels like a McLaren' after taking the MCL40 for its inaugural spin at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday. The reigning world champion's comments may raise eyebrows among rivals such as Max Verstappen and George Russell, considering the Woking-based team's commanding performance in the 2025 season.

"This is still going to take a while," the Bristol-born driver commented when questioned about the team's new contender. "The conditions here are quite different to what they're going to be in Bahrain, what they're going to be in Melbourne.”

"It's just trying to gather as much information, in every condition possible, whether it's going to rain in the next couple of days or be dry or whatever, the more laps we can do, the better. So yeah, nice to be back. Different feelings, of course. It still feels like a McLaren, it still feels powerful, it still feels like a Formula 1 car, which is the most important thing.", reports the Express.

‘Ominous six-word verdict’;

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport...s-six-10786924


Gary Anderson's in-depth analysis of 2026 Aston Martin F1 car
Jan 30, 2026
Gary Anderson
The Race

And now for the more interesting part: the front suspension. Yes, it's similar to most in that it is a double-wishbone system with a pushrod-operated inboard springing and damping mechanism. But Aston Martin has pushed the limits just that little bit further on the overall packaging… …Ride-height reduction with speed will happen depending on the vertical stiffness of the car. There will also be a slight movement with roll, but with this amount of anti-dive there won't be much, if any, movement under braking. It's only when you come off the brakes that the car will get back to its proper ride height for the aerodynamic load at the speed it is traveling at.

In effect, this suspension layout will increase the caster with speed, which can give more straightline stability and/or decrease caster as the speed reduces. This will reduce the steering load for slower-speed corners, giving the driver more steering feedback. Moving to the middle of the car, the side view is where you start to see the aerodynamic differences mount up. The sidepods are reduced in cross-section. I wouldn't say they are narrow or 'zero' sidepods, but their volume runs more or less in line with what the airflow structure around them would want to do.

It's great to see a car that is a bit different, but that doesn't mean it's better than the others. However, it shows some lateral thinking and demonstrates that there are quite a few ways to achieve the same end result. Adrian has been very good at that in the past, but today's cars are not the work of one person, so there will be many very intelligent brains who have contributed to what we are looking at. But the reality is that you still need one captain to decide in which direction the ship is travelling in, and that person at Aston Martin is Adrian Newey.

‘Gary Anderson's in-depth analysis’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...-adrian-newey/


Gary Anderson hails Adrian Newey for Aston Martin’s ‘extreme’ idea that no rival F1 team has used
30 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Gary Anderson thinks Adrian Newey created an ‘extreme double floor’ with Aston Martin’s 2026 car. Gary Anderson is “surprised” that Aston Martin have left enough room for a radiator in their sidepods, as they are so small. He also praises Newey for Aston Martin’s sidepods, as the design creates almost a “double floor” that should reduce drag and can prove huge in 2026.

“You could say it has a ‘zero’ sidepod concept, and then some,” Anderson has told The Race. “That’s not so much in terms of width, but in terms of depth. It’s so slim, I’m even surprised there is room for a radiator in there. The intake is high and letterbox-shaped, and the exit is fairly well forward in the engine cover sides, and I would say ‘brutal’. However, some of that is because the engine cover behind that opening is undercut to the extreme.”

“As for the sidepod itself, it’s effectively an extreme double floor. This means the cross-sectional area between the wheels going from front to back will be smaller than the others that I have seen. That will mean a lot less airflow displacement as the car passes through it, which in turn should reduce the drag level. This could be very beneficial under these regulations.”

‘Aston Martin’s ‘extreme’ idea’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gar...team-has-used/


How Aston Martin rushed the AMR26 to Barcelona on a 50-year-old Antonov plane
30 Jan 2026
Roberto Chinchero
Motorsport.com

Finding an aircraft capable of carrying the large crate containing the brand new 2026 F1 car. A 1972 Antonov An-12BP, a four engine turboprop built more than half a century ago.

‘50-year-old Antonov plane’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...onov/10794106/

[Fortitude]

F1 rivals have noticed a change in ‘body language’ of Mercedes staff at Barcelona test.
Martin Brundle thinks George Russell is one of the favourites for the 2026 F1 title. Russell is widely regarded as the most talented driver on the grid without a championship to his name, and with him now heading into his fifth year with the works Mercedes team, he could be looking at his first opportunity to claim one.
30 January 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

Posting to the Bluesky social media network, F1 journalist Thomas Maher wrote, “From everything I’m hearing from paddock sources, Mercedes is the team everyone has their eye on at the moment. “Have heard that Merc is already at the point of setup evaluation rather than total reliability and procedural focus, as might be expected at the shakedown stage.”

In a separate post, Maher added, “‘Super focused and sharp’ is how one senior source from another team described Mercedes, with others saying the entire body language of Merc personnel has lifted, with purpose.” Figures from Mercedes have tried to keep a lid on things to save themselves from any premature verdicts, but it’s clear to see that they have developed a respectable package from the early benchmarks.

‘Body language’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-...arcelona-test/


Barcelona Day 5: Lewis Hamilton puts Ferrari fastest on final day of first F1 2026 test
30 Jan 2026
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

A report of the Day 5 morning session from Barcelona is available at the bottom of this article.
F1 testing: Unconfirmed lap times from Day 5 in Barcelona
1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:16.348 63 laps
2 Lando Norris McLaren 1:16.594 83 laps
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.653 78 laps
4 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:17.446 80 laps
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:17.586 118 laps
6 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:17.707 160 laps
7 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:18.393 85 laps
8 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:18.423 106 laps
9 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 1:19.870 78 laps
10 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:20.179 66 laps
11 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:20.795 49 laps
12 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1:20.920 54 laps

‘Hamilton puts Ferrari fastest’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-tes...-testing-day-5


Hamilton judges the SF-26 after setting the fastest lap in Barcelona
30 Jan 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton believes the 2026 F1 car is "more enjoyable" to drive compared to the previous generation. "It's been a really enjoyable week honestly," Hamilton said to F1.com on Friday after the conclusion of his final test session of the week. The seven-time world champion set the unofficial quickest time of the day and of the entire pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He reportedly clocked a 1:16.348, finishing around a tenth ahead of George Russell.

He continued: "I think a huge amount of work over the winter on my side, personal side; then what the team have done over the winter to make changes going into the test."
"It was good to have that experience and get that knowledge [in wet conditions as well on Tuesday]."

‘Hamilton judges the SF-26’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...p-in-barcelona


Hamilton’s last-gasp flyer puts Ferrari on top in Barcelona F1 finale
30/01/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The headline time crowned a quietly strong week for Ferrari. Beyond the single lap, the new car pounded around the Catalan circuit with impressive reliability and mileage, building a foundation rather than chasing glory – until the very last moment. Hamilton’s surge bumped Norris’ 1m16.594s McLaren effort into second and left Leclerc third, giving the Scuderia a one-three finish on the day’s order.

The final word belonged to Ferrari’s new spearhead. Hamilton’s lap will not guarantee victories, poles or titles. Yet as the SF-26 screamed past the timing line in the dying minutes, it felt like more than a test number. It felt like intent. A reminder that when the opportunity appears, even in the most controlled and cautious of test weeks, Lewis Hamilton still knows exactly when to pull out the stops.

‘Hamilton’s last-gasp flyer’;

https://f1i.com/news/558194-hamilton...f1-finale.html


Lewis Hamilton raises Ferrari hopes with top spot on final day of 2026 F1 test
30 Jan 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Lewis Hamilton reportedly ended the final day of the Formula 1 behind-closed-doors pre-season test in Barcelona fastest, after a seemingly positive week for the Ferrari team. The Brit was finally able to have some extended running time in the dry weather, having spent the majority his time in the car when rain fell.

Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc have completed some positively long stints in the new SF-25, and despite the lack of importance of fast times at this early stage, buoyed the Scuderia by ending the final session of Day Five in first and third. The pre-test speculation centred around many supposedly radical features of some of the 11 teams’ cars, Ferrari being one, having allegedly decided on, in effect, running two different cars, one with the steel alloy head on its power unit.

‘Ferrari hopes’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...-2026-f1-test/


Mercedes and Ferrari make statement with relentless mileage in Barcelona testing
30 Jan 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Let’s take a look at how many laps and kilometres each team and power unit manufacturer completed over the five days of testing in Barcelona. Mercedes topped the mileage charts across the five days of running, racking up a total of 500 laps. Ferrari followed with 437 laps, while Haas also enjoyed a productive test with 391 laps completed.

Alpine logged a solid 349 laps over the week, with Racing Bulls and Red Bull close behind on 318 and 303 respectively. McLaren completed 288 laps in total, while Audi accumulated 243 across the test. Cadillac reached 164 laps, Aston Martin’s running was limited to just 65, and Williams failed to register any mileage in Barcelona.

Total laps per team in Barcelona testing (unofficial)
Team Power Unit Total Laps
Mercedes Mercedes 500
Ferrari Ferrari 437
Haas Ferrari 391
Alpine Mercedes 349
Racing Bulls RBPT Ford 318
Red Bull RBPT Ford 303
McLaren Mercedes 288
Audi Audi 243
Cadillac Ferrari 164
Aston Martin Honda 65
Williams Mercedes 0

‘Statement with relentless mileage’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/merce...e-in-barcelona


Mercedes and Ferrari impress, Red Bull closes in: what stood out in the F1 test in Barcelona
30 Jan 2026
Co-author:Kada Sárközi
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Mercedes and Ferrari were the fastest, the new Red Bull Ford power unit is a positive surprise, and Audi and Cadillac ran into problems. There were plenty of notable takeaways after the first test in Barcelona—and GPblog is here to list them for you. It is far too early to label Mercedes and Ferrari untouchable for the upcoming season. While everything went smoothly for both teams, it is impossible to draw solid comparisons with their rivals. Were the other teams running the same engine modes? What was the focus of their test programs? Which tyres were they using? How much fuel were they carrying?

Pecking order to be clearer in Bahrain. These are questions that will be easier to answer in Bahrain, where the test will be open to everyone and it will be easier to observe the teams more closely. Moreover, it is only in the Middle East that teams will start adding real performance to their cars. Only then will it become clear whether Mercedes stands above the rest or other teams can close the gap.

Aston Martin and Cadillac were teams with more issues. Aston Martin, for reasons that are still unclear, started the test late, while Cadillac was at a different stage of development than the other ten teams. For the Americans, this is the first real F1 test ever, so it’s mainly about learning to understand the car and the sport. Running into a fair number of problems comes as no surprise.

‘What stood out’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/analysis/m...t-in-barcelona

[Fortitude]

Williams ‘issues’ cause extra ‘damage’ after Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz miss Barcelona test.
The consequences of Williams’ delayed start to 2026 could even stay with them throughout this season. That is according to GPBlog, which reports that Williams also suffered ‘financial damage’ after having to manufacture a number of new parts to finally build their 2026 car.
31 Jan 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Williams had to spend additional funds to rush the manufacturing of new parts. Vowles elected against Williams making the trip to Barcelona to avoid running low on spare parts during the early rounds of the 2026 F1 season. It was far from the start of the 2026 F1 regulations era that Williams hoped for after enjoying their best season since 2017 last year.

Williams only realised how far behind schedule they actually were at a ‘very late’ stage, so a raft of parts they initially manufactured for the FW48 will never be used on a car that Albon or Sainz will drive. Albon and Sainz are set to get their first laps of 2026 at the Bahrain tests.

Formula 1 heads to the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix for two pre-season tests, for which Vowles has confirmed Williams will be ready, on February 11-13 and 18-20. But while Albon and Sainz will put the FW48 through its early paces, their rivals will be chasing performance. Williams may at least get some comfort from the reliability of Mercedes’ new engine for the 2026 regulations at the Barcelona shakedown. The Silver Arrows produced the most laps by any team at 504, and fellow Mercedes customers Alpine and McLaren penned 343 and 285.

‘Consequences of Williams’ delayed start to 2026 could even stay with them throughout this season’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wil...arcelona-test/


Vowles reacts to "media murmurings"
28/01/2026
Pitpass

Having completely skipped the Bahrain shakedown there have been reports of the car failing three crash tests and being found to be 20 - 30 kilograms overweight. "There's no knowledge of the weight until we get to Bahrain in terms of understanding where it is," he insisted in a media call as the Barcelona shakedown came to the end of its third day.

In reaction to the crash test murmurings, he said: "We have absolutely pushed the boundaries of what we're doing in certain areas, and one of those is in certain corresponding tests that go with it", adding that "those were only a blip in the grand scheme of things. They are one item out of quite a few that were pushing us absolutely beyond the limit of what we can achieve in the space of time that we have available to us," he said.

Referring to the decision to skip the Barcelona shakedown, and instead opting for an advanced virtual test track (VTT) programme, he insisted: "We could have made it, but in doing so, I would have to turn upside down the impact on spares, components and updates across Bahrain, Melbourne and beyond. And the evaluation of it was that for running in a cold, damp Barcelona, against doing a VTT test, against the spare situation, and frankly, there was zero points for running in a shakedown test, we made the decision.

‘Crash test murmurings’;

https://www.pitpass.com/81976/Vowles...dia-murmurings


Williams FW48 reportedly clears crash test, but trouble still brewing
28/01/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The first signs of progress have been reported by Italian website Auto Racer which claims that Williams has successfully passed the FIA’s crash test, marking a non-negotiable step toward full homologation of its 2026 chassis. Nevertheless, Williams’ FW48 is also rumored to be between 20 and 30kg over F1’s 768kg weight limit.

In the sport’s current cost-cap era, such an issue is more than engineering headache; it threatens to trigger a financial chain reaction that can haunt a team all season long. So passing a crash test is a gateway, but weight potentially remains the elephant in the room for Williams, forcing the team into a familiar and uncomfortable corner.

Shaving mass from a modern Formula 1 car is neither cheap nor simple. It often means redesigning components, changing materials, and burning precious hours and budget that would otherwise be spent on performance upgrades. In a tightly policed financial environment, that trade-off hurts twice. Every resource diverted into slimming the chassis is a resource not spent unlocking lap time later in the year.

‘Trouble still brewing’;

https://f1i.com/news/558071-williams...l-brewing.html


Williams boss defends ‘incredibly painful’ F1 shakedown decision
29 Jan 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

“[It] clearly wasn’t our plan, and it’s incredibly painful,” James Vowles said. “But I do want it to be acknowledged, it’s the result of our determination to push the limits of performance under the new regulations.” Vowles explained that the scope of the 2026 overhaul has stretched the team’s production processes further than ever before. “The car this year that we’ve built is about three times more complicated than anything we have put through our business beforehand,” he said.

“It means the amount of load going through our system is about three times what it used to be. And we started falling a little bit behind and late on parts.” He rejected suggestions that the delays point to deeper problems, confirming the FW48 had cleared its crash testing and denying that weight will be a significant concern. “I’m pleased to say that we’ve passed all necessary tests and we’re ready to run in Bahrain,” Vowles said, adding that Williams will complete a 200km filming day ahead of the test.

“[It] clearly wasn’t our plan, and it’s incredibly painful”;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-b...debut-new-car/


Vowles explains FW48 delays: Williams must push to “breaking point”
28 Jan 2026
Last Word On Sports

Until last week, Williams were a team expected to make a positive impression in 2026. Having explicitly abandoned last year’s development to focus on the new regulations, most analysts anticipated Williams could climb the field. Team principal James Vowles has addressed the issue: “Last week we took the decision to not attend the Shakedown test in Barcelona, following delays to our car programme. This clearly wasn’t our original plan, it was painful, and it isn’t a situation we want to be in again. We had intended to be on track in Barcelona. It is a result of our determination to push the limits of performance under these new regulations in 2026.”

“We are transforming fast, but this shows… we’re not yet at a Championship level, and we still have a tremendous amount of work to do. Only by pushing the boundaries can you find the pain points, and put them right – which is exactly what we’re doing. I’m not here to produce a car that is well and truly within the tolerances. We have to push ourselves as a business to breaking point, and we’ve done so. It’s painful, but it means we will never be here again.”

“We are ready to run in the official test in Bahrain, and will carry out a commercial filming day ahead of it. In the meantime, we are carrying out an alternative test programme here in the UK – including what we call a VTT, a Virtual Track Test. The car is on there now, it’s been there a few days, and it will be on there a few more days. It’s a physical car – the real car, the engine, the gearbox are all bolted to it. And it’s put through its paces on a rid, and provides valuable engineering data… we cannot wait to get on track.”

“Following delays to our car programme”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...reaking-point/


Vowles says Williams are ready to take part in Bahrain pre-season testing and car has passed crash tests
28 Jan 2026
Formula One - Official Site

Speaking to a select group of media on Wednesday, Williams Team Principal James Vowles admitted that the call to miss the Spanish shakedown "clearly wasn't our plan" and that not being there is "incredibly painful" but it was the result of their call to "push the limits of performance under the new regulations". "There's no point being just underneath the curve or well and truly underneath the curve if you want to transform at speed. You need to find the pain points and put them right very quickly which is exactly what we're doing.”

"I'm confident in our decision to miss Barcelona and I’m confident it was the right one to prepare for the first test in Bahrain and Melbourne. I'm pleased to say that we've passed all necessary tests and we're ready to run in Bahrain and we'll carry out a promotional filming day ahead of it." He added: "We have absolutely pushed the boundaries of what we're doing in certain areas and one of those is in certain corresponding tests that go with it, but those were only, I would say, a blip in the grand scheme of things.”

"They are one item out of quite a few that were pushing us absolutely beyond the limit of what we can achieve in the space of time that we have available to us, so it's more of an output than anything else – of pushing not just the boundaries of design but the boundaries of just simply how many components can be pushed through the factory in a very short space of time."

“No point being just underneath the curve or well and truly underneath the curve”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...qZ2LlTAkjXzOIz